Obama has in recent weeks stepped up calls for congressional approval of an immigration overhaul that would both secure the border, and offer a path to earned legalization to millions of undocumented residents who are willing to pay penalties and learn English.

He had pledged during the 2008 campaign that he would pass such a law during his first year in office.

But Gutierrez and growing numbers of Democrats in Congress say that Obama’s immigration reform campaign is political posturing, because the president knows that he won’t get the votes for congressional passage of a comprehensive immigration reform in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

Obama’s rhetoric may help win Hispanic votes for the 2012 elections by showing Republicans as the stumbling block for immigration reform, but is creating false expectations among Hispanics, they say.

This reporter, Andres Oppenheimer, talked to the Chicago-area Congressman, Luis V. Gutierrez, who suggested stopping and/or delaying deportations. Obama has been claiming that he hasn't the power, but Hispanics don't buy that - he is clearly willing to use extra-legal measures for issues that are important to him.

Bottom line, this could be the issue that keeps Hispanics away on voting day in 2012.Share